


But First, Let Me Take a Selfie

by BadWolf303



Series: Rosefern [17]
Category: NCIS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 20:09:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6822217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolf303/pseuds/BadWolf303
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Kate’s sending me pictures. I’m supposed to send one back.”</p>
<p>Tony can’t help himself, he really really can’t. “Are you <em>sexting</em>, boss?”</p>
<p>Okay, well, he deserves the head slap that immediately follows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But First, Let Me Take a Selfie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flootzavut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flootzavut/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Mele Kalikimaka](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4027786) by [flootzavut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flootzavut/pseuds/flootzavut). 



> Wrote this "fanfic of a fanfic" to cheer up my buddy, flootzavut, and it was so much fun playing in her sandbox. If you haven't read her "Rosefern" series -- go do it immediately.

It isn’t unusual to see Gibbs staring at his phone – especially since being upgraded to a Smart Phone thanks to one Special Agent Kate Todd – but it is unusual for him to look so honestly _distraught_ about it.  
  
Tony has witnessed Gibbs scowl at a phone over the course of the past, well, decade of working together, has replaced numerous phones when Gibbs’ frustration manifested itself in violence against said phones, and knows that Gibbs’ lack of patience for technology isn’t one Gibbs usually cares enough to deal with, let alone get honest-to-God upset over.

But he looks, well, honest-to-God upset.

“Everything okay, boss?”

Gibbs looks up and fixes a glare on Tony that makes Tony wish he didn’t ask at all, but it doesn’t last long. The glare fades as quickly as he placed it, and Gibbs’ shoulders slump. Tony knows something is definitely bothering him, grows even more concerned when Gibbs doesn’t try to keep up the mask to hide it. “This damn phone. I don’t…can you show me how to do something?”

“What do you need? McGee should be in soon, he’s usually better at that Cloud stuff than I am.”

“Kate’s sending me pictures. I’m supposed to send one back.”

Tony can’t help himself, he really really can’t. “Are you _sexting_ , boss?”

Okay, well, he deserves the head slap that immediately follows.

“Not sexting, then.” 

“She’s on stake out. Been sittin’ around bored all day.” Gibbs hands the phone over to Tony, who can’t help but smile at the selfie on the screen of Kate sitting in a car, brow furrowed and pout on her face. The perfect picture of someone bored out of their mind on stake out. Tony has been there, done that. 

“She looks good.”

Gibbs scowls again.

“No! No, I mean… She looks like Kate. Confident, playful Kate. She doesn’t always, and definitely didn’t when she first came back. And, it’s just nice to see she looks good, you know?”

The scowl turns into a smile, and boy does Gibbs have it bad. Not that Tony blames the guy. There was a time where Tony harbored maybe a little bit of a schoolboy crush on her, too. He loved to pull her pigtails. But Kate had been more of the sister he never had. Losing her was the wake up call he needed to finally grow up. Tony really can’t fault Gibbs for being a lovesick fool, for cherishing this second chance. Tony does his best himself to keep in touch with Kate, to show her how much he’s grown, maybe still go out of his way to be a little pest. The team is Tony’s family, and he’s not letting Kate get away again.

“So, wait, you’re asking me to show you how to take a selfie?”

Gibbs looks pained as he nods his head.

“I can’t believe this is real life. Boss, this might be the weirdest thing I’ve ever done for you.”  
  
“Just…just do it, okay? She wants to…I mean, she’s been sending them all day, and I…”

“She wants to see your face.”

Gibbs looks like he isn’t sure whether to scowl, admit defeat, or give Tony another head slap. “I swear, DiNozzo, if word gets around that I’m,” Gibbs grits his teeth, “taking selfies at work…I’ll—“ 

“Boss, really. No judgment here. I get it, okay? She misses you. And I happen to care a good deal about her, too.” He shrugs. “If seeing your ugly mug makes her happy? Yeah, okay, I can help you do that.” 

Tony is apt to call the entire ordeal “sweet,” but he knows when not to push his luck. 

He takes the phone from Gibbs hand, but stands close so Gibbs can watch what he does next. “Okay, look. You click the camera button, easy enough. And see this up here? If you push that, the camera flips around so it’s on your face. My advice? Hold the phone up a little. Gives your face a better angle. Less chins.” 

“Are you calling me fat, DiNozzo?” 

“No, boss. Of course not, boss.” Tony steps away and Gibbs does, in fact, hold the camera up a bit. “And then you just push the button like you do when you’re taking a regular photo.” 

“Got that part, Tony.” 

“And Boss?” 

Gibbs gives Tony a side eye.

“Try smiling. Kate’s always really liked your smile.”

Tony has never, ever seen Gibbs blush. Wasn’t really sure the man was capable, to be honest. And while he wouldn’t exactly call Gibbs’ cheeks pink, he thinks that this is the closest thing to a blush he’ll ever see on the face of the former Marine.

It’s kind of – well, actually – it’s really, really sweet. 

Gibbs eyes bounce about the room, but slowly he smiles. It’s not a very large smile, but it’s there, right there on his face. Gibbs, _Leroy Jethro Gibbs,_ of head slaps and don’t-mess-with-my-coffee, is standing at his desk, _smiling_ , and taking a selfie. 

Kate Todd is a miracle worker. Tony is more than happy to watch it happen.

Gibbs snaps the photo. “How do I…”

“Go into the text she sent you, and you can attach the photo.” 

It takes a moment for Tony to show Gibbs how to do just that (“Keep talking to me like I’m slow, DiNozzo, and I’ll slap you into next week”) but the mission is officially complete, a selfie of Gibbs actually exists in the world and is currently sent to Kate’s phone, and Tony feels a weird swell of pride in his gut over these two people he cares so much about, who have each had their own world of hurt, who are finally finding something special again. 

Gibbs’ phone vibrates after a moment, and though Tony can’t see what it says, the text makes Gibbs’ face light up brighter and more openly happy than Tony can ever remember seeing it. “Good response, then?” 

“Don’t you have work to do, DiNozzo?” 

“Oh. Right, yeah. On it, boss.” 

Well, he should have known this selfie session wouldn’t last forever. With a shrug, Tony bounces over to his desk to take a seat and get back to business as usual. Though, if he’s being perfectly honest, “business as usual” doesn’t exactly have the same meaning these days. Selfies aside, things are changing. Gibbs smiles more. The team – Tony’s family – seems to be growing closer, if that’s even possible. He’s finding he looks forward more and more to time spent with McGee. 

Tony doesn’t remember ever loving his job as much as he has these past months. 

“And DiNozzo?” 

Tony snaps to attention, as he always does at that tone of voice. 

Gibbs pauses, coughs. Embarrassed, maybe? Does Leroy Jethro Gibbs even _get_ embarrassed? 

“Yeah, boss?”

Gibbs laughs to himself, shaking his head. “Thanks, DiNozzo.” 

Tony can’t help but laugh in response. “You are very welcome. But if you two _do_ start sexting, I’m absolutely _not_ helping with that.” 

Gibbs’ gratitude was good while it lasted. Tony really should know better than to push his luck.

 

-end-


End file.
